Meeeill



(No Model.)

7 M. N. HUTC'HINSON I PASSENGER OR'OTHERBLEVATOR. No. 299,547. v PatentedJune 3, 18'84.

WITNESSES: INVENTQR (y BY ATTORNEY N, PETERS Phelo-Lithagraphor, Wruhinglun. D. c.

UNITED STATES FFICEQ PATENT MERRILL N. HUTCHINSON, OF NEYV YORK, N. Y.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 299,547, dated June 3, 1884.

Application filed November 1, 1883. (No model.)

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MERRILL N. HUTCHIN- soN, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Safety Apparatus for Passenger and other Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention comprises certain novel combinations of parts for arresting the downward movement of the car or cage of a passenger or other elevator in the event of the breaking of the hoisting rope or chain, such breaking of said rope or chain being caused to automatically bring into operation gripping-wedges upon the opposite sides of a suitable post or standard in such manner that the grippingwcdges will retard and stop the aforesaid downward movement of the car or cage.

Figure 1 is a side view. Fig. 2 is avertical sectionalview; Fig. 3, a plan view representing an apparatus embracing my said invention.

A is the car or cage, which may be of any usual or suitable construction.

B B are draft or hoisting ropes, which may be one or more in number, and actuated to raise or lower the car or cage in any ordinary or appropriate manner, and by means of any ordinary or suitable hoisting and lowering mechanism.

O G are vertical posts, arranged at opposite sides of the car orcage A, as more fully represented at Figs. 2 and 3, the position of each post with reference to the adjacent side of the cage being shown in Fig. 1. Upon each of the two opposite sides of the cage are strong guide-bars D, securely fixed to the cage upon opposite sides of the adjacent post 0, as represented in Fig. 1. The said guide-bars D being placed in an inclined position, as represented in said Fig. 1, the spaces between their inner edges and the adjacent sides of the post 0 being narrowest at the top and widest at the bottom, the said post is substantially wedgeshaped.

E E are wedges corresponding in shape to the spaces between the post 0 and the guidebars D, just hereinbefore described. These wedges are prevented from slipping outward to the guide-bars D, as shown in Fig. 1. In order that the said lugs or cars a may serve the further purpose of keeping the inner sides or surfaces of the wedges E out of immediate contact with the adjacent sides of the post 0, when said wedges are in their normal position, the said lugs a are turned upward to constitute (so to speak) hooks, behind which play upwardly-proj ecting studs b, the outer edges of the lugs or ears a being so shaped that as the wedges descend the studs 1), bearing against the outer edges of the lugs a, will draw the wedges slightly away from the post 0, the arrangement being such, however, that when the wedges E are drawn upward no interference is offered to the crowding of the said wedges against the opposite sides of the post 0. The two wedges at each side of the car or cage A are connected, by links 0 or other suitable device, with the outer arm, d, of a lever, F, which is pivoted, as shown at e, to the top of the car or cage. The arm f of this lever F is formed with a head, 9, which fits into cavities or recesses formed in opposite sides of a draft-block, G, which, by means of a rod, H, or equivalent device, is connected with the lower extremity of the draft rope or chain B. The rod H passes upward through an opening in a horizontal yoke, I, secured upon the top of the cage A, and which limits the upward movement of the block G, inasmuch as the lateralportions of the top of the latter form shoulders, which bear against the under side of the yoke I when the weight of the car or cage is sustained by the draft rope or chain B. Springs are arranged in such manner as to tend to push downward upon the inner arm, f. These springs may be of any suitable kind or character, and arranged in any suitable manner. Thus, for example, springs i may be arranged to bear between the yoke I and the head 5 thereby tending to push downward the said heads, while other springs, k, may be arranged between the inner arms, f, of the levers F and the top proper of the car or cage, thereby tending to draw downward the said arms f. In like manner springs m may be arranged between the .outer arms of the levers f and the top of the car or cage, so as to push upward upon said outer arms to IOO effect a like purpose as that of the springs 7,: and i.

In the normal use and operation of the car, when the same is suspended from the rope or chain B, the upward draft upon the inner arms, f, will release downward the wedges, so that the same shall not be in contact with the post 0; but in the event of the breaking of the said rope or chain, the inner arms, f, of the levers moving downward, the wedges E will have their inner surfaces brought in contact with the sides of the post 0, and, being forced snugly against the said sides by their wedge-like action by conjunction of the guide-bars, will retard the downward movement of the car or cage, and in avery brief interval of time will effectually stop the downward movement thereof.

It is of course to be understood that while the springs applied to the levers F, as hereinbefore explained, materially assist the operation of the wedges, their use is therefore to be preferred, and while the stud b acts in conjunction with the npwardly-turned lug a to greatly facilitate the operation of the apparatus, yet it is quite feasible to secure the gripping action of the wedges E without the aid of these subordinate operations of my said invention. It is further to be observed that the posts 0, instead of being placed with the flat sides of the car or cage A, may be placed at the corners thereof, the cross-section of the wedgesE being modified to accommodate them to this changed position, the operation of the apparatus being substantially the same in the one case as the other. It will be observed that the heads 9, being of metal and of considerable weight, serve to a certain extent the purpose of the springs, so that the apparatus will be capable of the use aforesaid even without the use of the springs.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. The combination of the posts 0, car or cage A, having guide-bars D, arranged with wedge-shaped spaces between their inner edges and the adjacent sides of the post 0, wedges E, placed in the saidspaces upon opposite sides of the said posts 0, and levers F, having their inner arms connected with the draft rope or chain B, whereby, in the event of the breaking of the said draft rope or chain,the wedges E may rise to grip the post 0 between them, all substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. The combination of the post 0, the car or cage A, having guide-bars D, arranged with wedge-shaped spaces between their inner edges and the adjacent sides of the said post 0, wedges E, placed in the said spaces, levers F, having their outer arms connected with said wedges and their inner arms connected with the draft rope or chain B, and springs k, arranged to force downward the inner arms of the levers F, when the latter are relieved from the upward strain exerted by the draft-rope in raising or lowering the car or cage A, all substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

3. The combination of the posts 0, the car or cage A, having guide-bars D, with wedgeshaped spaces between their inner edges and the adj acent sides of the aforesaid posts 0, links or connections 0, levers F, head recessed block G, yoke H, and a draft rope or chain, 13-, connected with the said block G, all substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

MERRILL N. HUTOHINSON.

\Vitnesses A. C. AUBERY, BENJ. F. Devon. 

